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By Jose G. Peña The Southwest Texas region is again hosting what appears to be one of the most important economic activities of the year — hunting. This annual activity starts with dove hunting, then quail, and now deer. Fee-based deer hunting has rapidly become one of the most important income-producing activities in Texas for ranchers. Increased, diversified use of vast natural resources for a variety of nature tourism activities, however, appears to be a profitable way not only to increase ranch income, but also to improve and diversify the economic base of rural settings. As farmers and ranchers know all too well, the agriculture sector has remained in a continuing recession which began in the early 1980s. A sluggish ag sector affects the economic base of rural settings with agrarian economies. Nature tourism is rapidly growing into a viable industry. The results of a 2001 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Texas indicated that in 2001, 4.8 million people flashed, 2.3 million hunted, and 6.3 million participated in significant wildlife watching. The report also indicated that travel and equipment expenditures by fishing participants was $412 million, hunting $128 million, and wildlife watchers $624 million. Birding According to Dr. Susan Cooper, assistant professor of wildlife ecology, country-wide surveys indicate that bird watching is the fastest growing segment of the nature tourism industry. The Southwest Texas region appears a natural ecosystem in which to further develop fee-based recreational activities for this increasingly popular sport. Dr. Cooper contends that widely diversified nature tourism activities have a great potential to increase the revenue base for landowners, especially landowners with smaller or more urban tracts of land that cannot support traditional hunting activities. While most would probably agree that bird watching will not surpass income from hunting as a source of revenue for ranchers, nature tourism activities offer an excellent income-producing potential during the "off" seasons, such as during spring, and would attract a different group of people when there is little hunting and few river tourists. Note: Birding appears best during spring and early fall when migrating birds pass through Texas. Spring and fall are not prime deer hunting periods. Birding may provide an excellent activity to fill in the gaps in the hunting calendar. In addition, judging by the number of participants and total expenditures by each group in the results of the 2001 F&WS survey, the number of participants in nature tourism activities and their expenditures almost approximated the sum of the other two categories. The Lower Rio Grande Chamber of Commerce reports that bird watchers contribute $90 million per year to the economy of the area due to the Great Texas Birding Trails. Rockport alone garners $1.4 million a year from their annual hummingbird festival. So, the potential for increased revenue to rural settings by catering to this group on a year-round basis should be explored. While most ranchers have recognized the income potential from fee-based hunting, others have been slow to recognize, or at least to figure ways to capture nature tourism market niches. Many ranchers place high value on their privacy and are not taking full advantage of potential opportunities from the full use of vast natural resources. Grass leases for livestock production dominated the use of range resources up until the late 1980s. In the 90s the situation gradually changed and is continuing to change where the use of wildlife for economic gain in some regions in Texas drives the range resource use. Fee-based hunting remains a dominant activity, but wildlife resource use has diversified into nature tourism, including hosting guests on a fee basis to rural experiences, selling mesquite wood/artifacts, bed and breakfast activities, trail biking, bow hunting and a host of other income-producing activities. The simple facts suggest that it has become more profitable to diversify into a better balance of the use of natural resources for livestock production and nature tourism, including fee-based hunting. Diversification into birding would be a natural shift to gain yet untapped public sector market shares which do not duplicate existing economic benefits from hunters, campers and river rafting tourists. Birders, unlike hunters, campers and river rafters, hate to rough it, in part because most of them are more than 40 years old. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, nature tourism participants are typically "empty-nesters" or young retirees with an average of 16-plus years of formal education and an average yearly income of more than $50,000. And regardless of their ages, many of them don't like to waste time packing and unpacking camping gear, pitching tents, building fires, and preparing food — time that otherwise could be spent birding. Most birders are willing to pay someone else to shelter and feed them in comfort. Dr. Cooper hosted a group of 161 members of the Texas Ornithological Society in Uvalde recently to participate in field trips to observe birds. The group visited Garner State Park, the Lost Maples State Natural Area, Fort Inge Historical Park, Cooks Slough Nature Park, the Fish Hatchery and many private properties, including Deterring Ranch, Frio River Cabins, Neals Lodges, River Oaks Resort, Triple R RV Park, Huebner Ranch, River Bend Outdoors Ranch, Carper Ranch, Shudde Ranch, and Fort Clark Springs. Several townsfolk opened their gardens to the group. The Texas Ornithological Society birders observed 164 different species of birds during 12 different field trips. It was not surprising that the group indicated their favorite field trip was the visit to Cooks Slough Nature Park, where 90 different bird species were observed during just two days of viewing. This very successful and productive visit would indicate that the southwest region, especially Uvalde County, is prime for expansion of nature tourism activities. In addition, Uvalde has a chance to gather considerable income from birders as the new "Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail" maps become available. While all of these activities are innovative and commendable, the agriculture sector remains fiercely independent, with severe reservations over losing their privacy. Resistance to inviting strangers onto private land by granting trespass rights for a fee poses a major obstacle to developing a viable nature tourism market. Income aspects may assist to gain the attention of some ranchers. Grass leases to produce livestock are generating $1.50-$3.50 per acre, depending on the composition of the range, compared to hunting leases which are bringing $6 to as high as $20 per acre, depending on the environment, services provided, and what game is included. Expanding into nature tourism could increase this revenue. The key to this expansion would be being a good host, entertainment and getting along with people. A central effort appears necessary to help focus the use of natural resource with groups willing to pay for a share of the use of these resources. |
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